Not So Perfect Chemistry
by Love-And-War1999
Summary: Of course it'd be Rachel that has to work on the big all important final could-ruin-your-grade-and-fail-the-class project with Octavian, who hates her. Now she has to...work with him. Someone gag her./ The last major project and he has to work with that annoying, stubborn, weird, messy redhead that hates him. And they have to...work together. Yep, he's totally failing chemistry.


**I shouldn't be starting another story but I have to. This would'nt leave my mind and I had to write it down. Mortal AU of course.**

 **-Angela R.**

* * *

 **Rachel**

"That Octavian," Rachel muttered under her breath as she hurried to Art class, hugging tightly to her sketch pad in frustration. Unfortunately for her, they had been (against their will) paired up in Chemistry class. Ever since she had accidently bumped into him on the first day of school, he had never tried to be nice to her. She didn't even know what she did! Well, it could've been the fact that she was friends with Percy. Everyone in school knew that Octavian and the captain of the swim team had some grudge against the other, but that didn't mean that blond jerk had to be such a pain in the ass.

Rachel had done her best to keep their interactions to a minimum since every time they clashed, arguments erupted and they would end up in detention for "disrupting the class". She had been successful for the most part and the school year was about to end soon, but Mr. Robinson had the bright idea to partner the class up for the final project that would be 25% of their overall grade. Rachel could not be more bummed out that she had to be stuck working with someone. She preferred being independent and doing things her way. Partners got in the way of that. They didn't even get to choose who to work with!

It had all been random. Mr. Robinson had written names on popsicle sticks and took them out, two at a time. If the whole "working with a partner that you couldn't even choose" was bad enough, it got worse as the teacher called out her AND Octavian's name. Everyone in class stared at them as they both groaned. At least they had something in common. They both had complained, asking for a change after class.

"I will not work with _her_!" the boy pointed at her with distaste.

"And I certainly don't want to work with him," she glared with her green eyes smoldering.

But Mr. Robinson would have none of it. "Alright, both of you calm down. As I said before, there will be no switching. No exceptions. You both need to learn to work with people that you might not particularly like-"

Octavian scoffed, "That's an understatement."

"But," he said more sternly, "The real world won't care if the person you're working with is in good terms with you. Your boss will expect things to get done, not his employees getting along. It's for your own good." He sighed heavily. "You two are very smart. I'm sure that you can work something out. I'm sorry but the partners have been chosen already."

After that, they had both stormed out, neither saying anything to the other. Now Rachel had to sit through her favorite class with a soured mood because _Octavian_ decided to be a bothersome presence in her life.

"Hey Red. Why so glum?" Chelsea, her friend and "desk buddy", as Ms. Schultz said, asked.

"Ugh, I have to work on a chem project with Octavian," the redhead told her.

"That sucks. Have you tried asking your teacher for a different partner?"

"Yes!" she exclaimed, "But he won't let us switch off! Now I'm stuck with an arrogant narcissist that thinks he knows better than everyone. We'll never get anything done. We'll just end up arguing about what to do for the project until the due date comes!" Rachel proceeded to let her head hit the desk. "I'm gonna fail chemistry…"

"Rachel, calm down." Chelsea tried to cheer her up. "It might not be that bad. Besides, how hard is the project anyway?"

"Don't even get me started," Rachel's voice was slightly muffled from her face still pressed against the cool wood. "We have to base our project on something that we did throughout the year, write a paper on our findings and show a demo in front of the class to explain what we did. I'm so doomed."

"Okay I give up, you're right. You're failing." her friend stopped trying to look on the bright side. Rachel couldn't blame her. She didn't see one either.

* * *

 **Octavian**

"She's horrible!" he explained to Reyna. "Because of her, I'm gonna fail chemistry. And that idiot of a teacher didn't even let us switch when he's well aware of how much me and that annoying redhead hate each other! And she had the nerve to look so disgusted with me like I'M the prob-hey are you listening to me?"

After that humiliating talk with Mr. Robinson, Octavian was fuming all the way to his Precalc class, which he shared with Reyna. Mrs. Williamson was trying to explain the template for their next essay but the blue-eyed boy had no time to listen to that. He had much bigger problems to deal with and Reyna was not helping in continuing to absently doodle in her notebook.

"Just because we're co-presidents of the debate club doesn't mean I have to be tortured by listening to your 'girl problems'." she glared half-heartedly. They had never been exactly friends to begin with, Octavian could admit that and she got along with that bastard Jackson, but their parents were good friends and so they had known each other for years. It meant something anyway and besides, the blond didn't think he could go to anyone else and discuss his frustrations.

"We both decided to start the club," he pointed out, "And anyway, I'm the one being tortured here! If you've been paying attention, you'd understand how my senior year is gonna end badly because Miss Rainbow dye Freakazoid is stubborn and will probably want to take control of the entire project."

"And you're telling me because…?"

"Well I was hoping you'd understand this burden that's totally tainting my last few weeks of high school, but I was obviously wrong," he huffed and buried his face in his folded arms.

The girl beside him sighed loudly in annoyance, "Well, here's an idea. Why don't you quit acting like it's the end of the world and just be nice. As hard as it is for you to believe, seeing as you've never tried that, being nice actually gets you friends and getting along with her could help a whole lot in making sure you don't flunk the class, idiot."

"Nice? Why should I be nice to her?" Octavian's head shot up from his arms and looked at Reyna with betrayal. "She hasn't exactly been polite to me either."

"Why do I put up with you?" Reyna said out loud.

"I'm not sure, why don't you ask our moms?" Octavian rolled his eyes. "Seriously though, please help me out Rey. You're the only person I can count on...most of the time."

"Call me Rey again and you won't have to worry about your grades anymore," she threatened with no real edge in her voice. It had been her nickname since they were kids. Octavian was sure she secretly liked the name but refused to admit it. "Look, stop being such a righteous snob and ask her out already."

"WHAT!?" he yelped so loud, everyone turned to stare at him. Heat radiated from his pale cheeks as he apologized for the outburst. He scowled at Reyna, who seemed pleased with watching the blond lose his cool. "Are you deaf?" he hissed lowly so to not be heard by the teacher again, "I said I hated her."

"Oh shut up, you like her. I can tell. If you didn't, you wouldn't waste so much energy on her. I know you whether I like it or not."

"You're a horrible friend." Octavian accused, trying to stop his face from turning a deep red with little success.

That made Reyna smirk. "Good thing we aren't, huh?"

* * *

 **I just love Reyna. She's awesome :D**

 **-Angela R.**


End file.
